Moon Palace - Cancun
Discussion
My wife and I need a holiday. We want to be able to control the budget, so we want to go All Inclusive.
We really fancy the Moon Palace in Cancun, and TripAdvisor reviews are generally excellent.
Just wondered if any PH members have been and what they thought of it.
Thanks in advance for any comments.
We really fancy the Moon Palace in Cancun, and TripAdvisor reviews are generally excellent.
Just wondered if any PH members have been and what they thought of it.
Thanks in advance for any comments.
A long long long time ago, I popped in for the day. Very nice.
I can't say my info is up to date though, but I can tell you that a friends family liked it so much they bought something stupid like 100 weeks of time there and they go all the time, from what I know they still absolutely love it.
Its worth pointing out though that mexico isn't expensive, and you may be better off just getting bed and breakfast and eating out a lot.
Maybe check some of the smaller places around Tulum etc.
Secondly, Cancun, is the only place I've ever had my credit card ripped off (thank you National car rental!), so keep an eye open, thirdly they tried short changing me when I changed money, so keep an eye open.
oh and fifthly, don't make the mistake I did of thinking the buses there are like the circle line going around all the time, and getting on one, leaving the tourist resort area, driving for 30 mins out, and ending up in some dumpy local village, with chickens running around a 3 legged dog chasing them. Looking like the biggest gringo tourist in the world with my flip flops and having to sit for 3 hours on an oil drum waiting for the next bus back....
I can't say my info is up to date though, but I can tell you that a friends family liked it so much they bought something stupid like 100 weeks of time there and they go all the time, from what I know they still absolutely love it.
Its worth pointing out though that mexico isn't expensive, and you may be better off just getting bed and breakfast and eating out a lot.
Maybe check some of the smaller places around Tulum etc.
Secondly, Cancun, is the only place I've ever had my credit card ripped off (thank you National car rental!), so keep an eye open, thirdly they tried short changing me when I changed money, so keep an eye open.
oh and fifthly, don't make the mistake I did of thinking the buses there are like the circle line going around all the time, and getting on one, leaving the tourist resort area, driving for 30 mins out, and ending up in some dumpy local village, with chickens running around a 3 legged dog chasing them. Looking like the biggest gringo tourist in the world with my flip flops and having to sit for 3 hours on an oil drum waiting for the next bus back....
Edited by HotJambalaya on Wednesday 11th January 19:33
My partner and Ihave just been through the same as you, all-inclusive in Mexico. We looked at the Moon Palace and concluded it was very nice, but MASSIVE. Apparenlty it is something like 123 hectares! Our travel agent said it was great if you don't wan tt o leave the resort very much, or you won't make the most of what you are spending your money on.
Someone on here reccomended me the Riu Grand Palace, which has great reviews, but it was a bit out of our budget at £1800-ish for 14 days. In the end we managed to get the Azul Fives by Karisam for £300pp off. Smaller but apparently very good and where our agent went last year.
All the AI resorts have a mixture of reviews, the only one that was a deal breaker for me was the Hideaway at the Royalton, as there are a lot of reports of a very bad smell if your room faces the swamp, massive amounts of drunken antics in the adults only pool and it's also far away from Playa Del Carmen and Cancun.
Someone on here reccomended me the Riu Grand Palace, which has great reviews, but it was a bit out of our budget at £1800-ish for 14 days. In the end we managed to get the Azul Fives by Karisam for £300pp off. Smaller but apparently very good and where our agent went last year.
All the AI resorts have a mixture of reviews, the only one that was a deal breaker for me was the Hideaway at the Royalton, as there are a lot of reports of a very bad smell if your room faces the swamp, massive amounts of drunken antics in the adults only pool and it's also far away from Playa Del Carmen and Cancun.
Was there last summer with the kids for a week. Fantastic, clean resort with loads of restaurants and things to do but when we went the beach was unusable due to Sargassum or seawead as it's better known. They did their best to use tractors to constantly sweep it up but they could not get rid of the stink. There was no smell in the resort though and the food choices are great.
They offer a shuttle bus to their sister property called Beach Palace and that's just a really smallish hotel on the tourist strip near the shops etc but WOW what a beach! You get to use all facilities there for free and we spent a goo few days enjoying their super clean private beach with clear waters guzzling down free Beers and knocking back free burgers and hot dogs
There is not much to do outside of the resort so if you plan to be somewhere you can stay and have great fun within the resort itself then I do recommend it.
They offer a shuttle bus to their sister property called Beach Palace and that's just a really smallish hotel on the tourist strip near the shops etc but WOW what a beach! You get to use all facilities there for free and we spent a goo few days enjoying their super clean private beach with clear waters guzzling down free Beers and knocking back free burgers and hot dogs
There is not much to do outside of the resort so if you plan to be somewhere you can stay and have great fun within the resort itself then I do recommend it.
The first time I took the family to Moon Palace for Christmas was in 2012, before then we had gone to a different resort/country every holiday. This Christmas was our 5th consecutive Christmas at Moon Palace and we hope next year will be our 6th. As pointed out above, the resort is HUGE and that is not to everyones liking but when the new grand finally opens in a couple of months time there will be about 25 restaurants to choose from (only 3 buffet, the rest are a la carte) The food is excellent, New Years Eve meal was fillet & lobster. From Brazilian restaurants to Chinese to seafood and everything else in between (with an Indian opening this year, finally) Spirits are all top brands, Vodka is Grey Goose, Absolute, Svedka etc, Gin is Bombay Blue Sapphire, Taqueray, Hendricks etc. JD and Jim Bean is supped by the yanks and they even have Johnny Walker Black Label but they never have it on show, just ask, it's all included.
As all inclusive hotels go it is by far the best we have been to and that is comparing it to the Sandals resorts. The three lobbies are serviced by a coach if you are feeling lazy but the walk along the winding seafront pathways beside the seafront is a nice way to walk off the amount of great food you will undoubtedly have. There are also 8 seater golf buggies shuttling everyone around on a hail a ride basis.
The staff are amazing and this is probably the single stand out reason why we return so often, everything is "it's MY pleasure"
If you like to swim in the sea then this is probably not for you as the post above mentions, the seaweed takes the enjoyment out of that but the beach itself is fine. We all prefer a pool with a sea/beach view rather than the beach itself
Over a dozen swimming pools to choose from and getting a bed is never a problem, even at Christmas with 115% occupancy you will always find a couple of beds. We often say we would like to go out of season when it is a little quieter but in the middle of winter when you have to endure a long haul flight it ticks all our boxes and can not recommend it too highly.
As all inclusive hotels go it is by far the best we have been to and that is comparing it to the Sandals resorts. The three lobbies are serviced by a coach if you are feeling lazy but the walk along the winding seafront pathways beside the seafront is a nice way to walk off the amount of great food you will undoubtedly have. There are also 8 seater golf buggies shuttling everyone around on a hail a ride basis.
The staff are amazing and this is probably the single stand out reason why we return so often, everything is "it's MY pleasure"
If you like to swim in the sea then this is probably not for you as the post above mentions, the seaweed takes the enjoyment out of that but the beach itself is fine. We all prefer a pool with a sea/beach view rather than the beach itself
Over a dozen swimming pools to choose from and getting a bed is never a problem, even at Christmas with 115% occupancy you will always find a couple of beds. We often say we would like to go out of season when it is a little quieter but in the middle of winter when you have to endure a long haul flight it ticks all our boxes and can not recommend it too highly.
One more question for you all.
Did you feel safe in Mexico?
I've been twice (last time 5 years ago) and never had a problem, but I've been reading recent reports saying that there have been a lot of murders/rapes/drug muggings going on in the Cancun/Mexican Riviera area of late, and that's kind of made me a little wary of going now.
Did you feel safe in Mexico?
I've been twice (last time 5 years ago) and never had a problem, but I've been reading recent reports saying that there have been a lot of murders/rapes/drug muggings going on in the Cancun/Mexican Riviera area of late, and that's kind of made me a little wary of going now.
We stayed at the sister Resort Beach palace last year. A lot smaller in size, but equally clean, impressive food and drinks. We personally preferred the Beach palace, mainly due to location.
Visited the moon palace a couple times, during our stay (free bus tour daily to all the palace resorts) Lovely place, even considering going back to Cancun this year.
Visited the moon palace a couple times, during our stay (free bus tour daily to all the palace resorts) Lovely place, even considering going back to Cancun this year.
Can't say I've stayed at the moon palace but we did have it recommended a number of times before we went.
We first stayed at the secrets playa Mujeres and then last year we stayed at the hard rock.
2 complete opposites in terms of atmosphere.
I would recommend them both though.
Safety wise. Last year was the first we ventured out on our own. Secrets is quite far out so not in walking distance of much.
We hopped on the bus and had a walk about. Visited Liverpool-most random name for a shopping centre! We felt resonably safe but did the normal of not flashing the cash or looking lost. Also not so much after dark. Only use the taxis that are booked for you!
I watched a program recently on moon palace. Turns out an American tv big wig allegedly murdered his wife there and put her in a sewer inspection tank on the grounds. Nice.
We first stayed at the secrets playa Mujeres and then last year we stayed at the hard rock.
2 complete opposites in terms of atmosphere.
I would recommend them both though.
Safety wise. Last year was the first we ventured out on our own. Secrets is quite far out so not in walking distance of much.
We hopped on the bus and had a walk about. Visited Liverpool-most random name for a shopping centre! We felt resonably safe but did the normal of not flashing the cash or looking lost. Also not so much after dark. Only use the taxis that are booked for you!
I watched a program recently on moon palace. Turns out an American tv big wig allegedly murdered his wife there and put her in a sewer inspection tank on the grounds. Nice.
Thank you all for your comments and advice.
The shootings in Playa a few days ago have convinced my wife that Mexico is not for us this year.
So I've booked to go to Dubai for 10 nights in March.
Should be safe enough, warm enough, nice enough and with enough shops to keep the other half happy.
The shootings in Playa a few days ago have convinced my wife that Mexico is not for us this year.
So I've booked to go to Dubai for 10 nights in March.
Should be safe enough, warm enough, nice enough and with enough shops to keep the other half happy.
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